Uitermarkt, Melvin and Brent

On the premises at the time of investigation: about 17 dogs and six puppies

Breed: Shelties Unlike before, no dogs were seen tethered to trees or kept in the wooden box outside of the kennel building. The box had old newspaper shreds that were heavily stained, but its door was opened and no animals were inside.

Main kennel The kennel building’s design was the same as described in the CAPS USDA report dated 7/28/06. Indoor pens lined one side of the building, with doggie-doors to access outdoor runs with concrete floorings, wire walls and a roof for additional shelter. The other side of the building had indoor whelping pens, one of which was occupied by a black and white nursing Sheltie mother and six puppies that appeared to be about a week old.

The outdoor runs were relatively clean, though feces and fur were spread through the grass outside of the runs, primarily concentrated at their edge near the grass where flies were swarming (3.1(f)-Drainage and waste disposal; 3.11(d)-Pest control).

Indoor pens Most of the indoor pens had dark fecal stains covering their concrete floorings (3.11(a)-Cleaning of primary enclosures). The nursing dog and puppies of the occupied whelping pen were in a shallow wooden box with feces-stained newspaper pieces in it. The wood of the whelping box also had feces stains on its surfaces, and a thin layer of dark, compacted feces was covering the pen flooring (3.11(a)-Cleaning of primary enclosures). Metal food and water dishes were in the whelping pen, and had dried clumps of feces stuck to their outer surfaces (3.9(b)-Feeding; 3.10-Watering).

The inside of the kennel was very dark, and the pens could not be seen clearly into without the use of extra light (3.2(c)-Lighting).